Feedback on Learning Center "Treats Chart"

[Rte.66_chicks]

Kmoore-Maybe feed the dogs in the chicken pen-just lock the chickens out until they're finished!

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

I'm thinking of giving mine some flax seed, since it's so high in Omega-3's. Are there any guidelines for quantity and frequency?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Rte 66 - I don't know the recommended limits of feeding flax seed to chickens. If DLHunicorn is still lurking on BYC, maybe she has a source to look up that information...

(My GUESS is to use it as a supplement or very limited treat, because anything that has high concentrations of a particular thing 'could' be ill advised. I.e. salt, oil, sugar, possibly even certain vitamins are harmful in huge concentrations.)

Edited to add: But I don't think your intention was that you planned on stuffing your chickens with flax seed until they burst....

 

[Cetawin]

Oh I found a treat that my 20 day old girls liked...they loved it! There was chase going on, some chest bumping to get to the plate and even some fluffing...I baked a huge yam...nothing on it, merely wrapped in alum foil...I took the center that was still firm, cut it into very small pieces, let it cool and gave it over.

Oh they were all over it....here is a pic of them spread out with their own piece. Once they realized there was more on the plate, the chase game ended...

 

[digitS']

Rte.66_chicks :

I'm thinking of giving mine some flax seed, since it's so high in Omega-3's. Are there any guidelines for quantity and frequency?

According to research done at North Dakota State University: ". . . taste panel data noted that eggs from hens fed 10 percent or 15 percent ground flax had lower flavor desirability . . ." So, the 10% of diet could be an upper limit guideline.

Of course, taste is subjective and you may be happy with the eggs from hens getting a little more.

Steve

edited to add this from the same NDSU source: "Caston and Leeson (1990) reported that including 10 percent or 20 percent flax in laying hen rations increased ALA content in eggs 10-fold or 20-fold, respectively." So, the flax seed certainly does make a huge difference in the eggs.​

 

[Freddy]

I was wondering if I could actually feed my chickens too much raisins as a treat? I ask because I have unlimited access to raisins year round. How much should I feed them ad a treat? Hopefully someone can answer my question. Thanks

Freddy ~:>

 

[dlhunicorn]

RE FLAX: I dont understand about wanting to up the omega content of eggs seeing as how the omega (human) supplements are so affordable....
Have you ever tasted those OMEGA eggs...yakkes I found them disgustin!
At any rate concerning the FLAX (seed)>my personal opinion on this is to not give it to them (the flax talked about in the articles are flax meal >where the seeds have been processed into a meal) see here:
http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/Avian/pfs21.htm
(excerpt)
"....Flaxseed contains a cyanide containing glucoside, linamarin, which releases hydrogen cyanide under acidic, moist conditions in the presence of an enzyme, linase. Under normal processing conditions involving high temperature treatment, linase is destroyed so that the subsequent release of hydrogen cyanide is not a problem. ..."

 

[Acre of Blessings]

I like the chart. I am really thankful that you took the time to set this page up so that newcomers to the world of chickens can better care for their birds. Thanks agin for taking the time to do this. This should be printed and kept near the coop for reference mainly for kids and neighbors that may need to feed the chickens one day.

Thanks
Angela --- Happy owner many chickens

and still wanting more!

 

[coffeefanatic3462]

This treat chart is wonderful! Thank you so much for putting time into creating this and sharing it with all of us! :3 I just love to give my little babies treats~

 

[TurtleChick]

re: raisins as a treat... i've stopped giving them to my peeps since i was told by my avian vet it's a bad idea. same sort of concern about toxicity build-up from toxins in the grape (hence raisin) skins... they LOVED them, but if there's a significant chance of it causing harm, i'm not gonna do it! they love mealworms even more (just harder to have some of those just waiting around for treat time......)!!!

my thanks, as well, for all the time and effort you've put into the treat chart, buff hooligans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! because of your pics of YOUR peeps, i bought a suet feeder and the girls get some of their treats stuffed in there, too!